The title of this post comes from a Google search term that led the reader to LifeExcursion. I do not know who the user was, but they certainly did get me thinking. These are some of the questions that flowed into my head when I saw this search term:
- Why are you poor? (Assumption is financially)
- Isn’t your question answering itself?
- Do you understand what minimalism means?
- Why do you want to become a minimalist?
I am somewhat baffled that this was how someone found my site as a source for minimalism. I hope I was able to help them in some form. What I really hope is that all of my readers realize that minimalism is free and will help you become a wealthier person financially and characteristically.
I believe that the question pondered by this reader simply answers itself. I think that most people who are financially poor are that way because they were not a minimalist. Buying and consuming stuff that is unnecessary usually leads to a poor financial status. By reducing the consumer mindset, minimalism is a simple and easy lifestyle to live.
My suggestion is that the reader address their financial income and spending and see where the unnecessary has come into play. Once the financial stability is present, then addressing a minimalist lifestyle is certainly plausible. I just worry that jumping into a lifestyle without knowing why you are leaving another lifestyle doesn’t lead to success. It is tough to face the truth’s, but by doing so, we can all move towards what we really want.
I am somewhat rambling here, I know. I am so baffled by this simple question that I can’t seem to address it. I strongly suggest to everyone that addressing your lifestyle is extremely important to living a happy life. My happiness differs from everyone as does yours. Through determining what will make you happy, you can live the lifestyle that provides such. Hopefully, minimalism is part of that happy life.
More than likely, the sooner you address the issue of why you are poor, the sooner you will be able to live the lifestyle you desire.
Now that I have stumbled through that, please respond as to how this reader could find what they are looking for. Obviously, they state they want to become a minimalist, but I have a feeling there is more to their desires and wants. I am imploring all of you to straighten out my thoughts, so please comment by clicking here.
Have a good one….
David Damron
LifeExcursion
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Hey Dave,
I think capitalism is cool, but consumerism sucks. It’s put so many people onto the road to poverty. I think minimalism is a great way for us to start conquering this problem.
.-= Gordie Rogers´s last blog ..Did You Know There Are So Many Online Tools For Lifestyle Designers? =-.
Feel the same way as you Gordie…
Thanks for commenting
David Damron
Minimalism is easiest when you don’t have a lot of money to spend. Having lots of money provides temptations to spend it on things that will clutter up your life.
.-= Jonathan Frei´s last blog ..How to develop a healthy information diet =-.
Hey Johnathan–
You are spot on. When my paycheck grew I not only spent that which was the growth, but somehow spent more. If temptation can be resisted, than having too much money is great. It’s all about learning the powers and your own control over the temptations.
David Damron
LifeExcursion
The title of this post made me laugh Dave. I thought to myself “aren’t you already a minimalist if you are poor since you don’t have SHI@#@. HAHA. Seriously though, you make some great points. I know that holes I’ve dug myself into is due to too much consumption.
.-= Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..4 Things that Gamblers can Teach us about Personal Development =-.
After thinking about it for quite awhile, I finally asked what seemed to be a huge question:
What does it truly mean to be poor? To have a low income or to have material possessions of lower quantity and quality?
That’s when it clicked: you become truly poor when your unwise decisions with money (ergo, not being minimalistic) cause your possessions to become more scarce and of lower quality. That is, to be poor is relative – you can be “rich” by maximizing your income (by being a minimalist), and you can be “poor” by squandering it.
Thought provoking post, even though I didn’t expect it to be.
Nice work.
.-= bretthimself´s last blog ..Revamping Reality, Part 3: Restructuring Goals =-.
Dave, my sister sent me this message because she knows I used to spend a lot of money on things for me but also for the whole family and that used to make me feel really good because I love to see their happy faces, but for the past 6 to 10 years, the tension and stress I’ve been feeling thinking that I have to give, give and give is putting me into a very depress mood. We lost our Dad when I was 7 and when I got older, I felt it was my responsibility to help them out and little by little it became a habit for both, me and them. This year was the first for me not giving as much as before. I felt much better even when at times I felt guilty.
This article really help me open my eyes. Thank you Dave.
Sorry if my English doesn’t make much sense.
Minimalists have the choice to pare down their possessions. There are some people on earth that have never had the opportunity to decide if they would like to buy the material possessions that many people in the US enjoy. They can be considered poor not minimalists.
It seems like all the above commenters have been or are gainfully employed and are now choosing to live their life with less. That is great! However, being “poor”, meaning no ability to earn a living nor any capital to invest can be quite hard, and it is quite a different situation than wanting to spend less.
Hi, I realize this post is almost two years old, but I have to smile and leave a comment because I came here on the following:
what do poor people say about minimalism
I like some of the things you say in your post. But what got me thinking about this is that many people are already quite minimalistic in their lifestyles (I’m one of those, for the most part, though I don’t take on any particular identity of a minimalist) and I really wondered what the big fuss is about minimalism as I started reading about it a few years ago. I get it now, of course, but I wonder what really poor people with few opportunities and little education–and little chance of ever getting any, for many different reasons, not just the cost–have to say about the middle class and their (apparent) struggles to not buy the things that the media and stores etc constantly barrage us with.
Yes, a big topic and hard to address in few words, as you noted. Just thought I’d share why I stopped by
I found this by searching Google for precisely the same question and unfortunately, nothing I’ve read has been of much substance on this issue as it pertains to me. Perhaps the person is in a similar situation as myself. I was never very big on consumerism myself, but after years of having a nice income, I did accumulate a small number of nice belongings. These belongings did not and do not make me poor. A change of circumstances has changed much: I no longer have my nice income; in fact, I’m unemployed. I long to get rid of my belongings so that in the future I may have less and so that I am free to quickly and easily move where life may take me. However, it’s very difficult to let go of belongings when you’re unsure of your future financial situation. So this issue is not a matter of putting myself in debt from accumulating too many belongings, but of holding on to items as a sense of security. Perhaps the person was looking for encouraging words in that direction.